JP5531908B2 - Wireless relay device having local connection device control function - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a radio relay apparatus constituting a radio relay network that relays data in a multi-hop manner between a plurality of radio relay apparatuses.

  Relay device and communication for relaying data between long-distance communication devices by performing multi-stage relaying (multi-hop type) of data using a wireless communication method such as a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) that has a relatively short reach of radio waves A technique related to the method is known (for example, Patent Document 1).

  However, a conventional multi-hop relay device merely relays a signal from a communication device at a transmission source or a relay device at the previous stage to a relay device at the next stage or a communication device at a transmission destination. It is assumed that the communication device locally connected to the relay device is not remotely controlled efficiently, and the destination communication device is always in an automatically receivable state. For this reason, it is necessary to limit the communication device on the receiving side that is locally connected to the relay device to a communication device having a standby mode that can be always activated or can be automatically activated.

JP 2005-191922 A

  An object of the present invention is to provide a multi-hop wireless relay device that can efficiently remotely control communication devices locally connected to the relay device including start / stop.

In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a wireless relay that relays meter-reading data related to the usage amount of electricity, gas, water, etc. and non-meter-reading data other than the meter-reading data between a plurality of wireless relay devices a radio relay device constituting a network, another radio relay apparatus and the wireless relay device for relaying the meter reading data and non-metering data by wireless communication, local according to the radio relay device and a locally connected the non-meter reading data A local communication means for exchanging data with a connected device by wire or wireless, and when the wireless relay means or the local communication means receives the non-metering data, the data is relayed to the destination based on the type of the received data Destination information extracting means for extracting relevant destination information, and a relay destination in association with destination information extracted by the destination information extracting means. A relay destination registration unit for recording, a relay destination search unit for searching for a relay destination associated with the destination information extracted by the destination information extraction unit with reference to the relay destination registration unit, and the wireless relay unit or and non-meter reading data relay means for relaying the non meter reading data local communication unit receives the relay destination by the relay destination searching unit has searched, the relay destination of the non-metering data non meter reading data relay means for relaying the wireless relay A locally connected device that is locally connected to a device, and when the data is a device control command related to the control of the locally connected device, the locally connected device controls the operation of the locally connected device according to the device control command. And a control means.

  According to the present invention, various types of data are relayed to and from other relay devices in a multi-hop manner, and data addressed to a communication device locally connected to the own relay device is extracted. It is possible to provide a multi-hop wireless relay device capable of efficiently remotely controlling a device.

Overall configuration diagram of a relay system according to an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention Block diagram of the device of the present invention Relay destination / priority registration example Operation flowchart of the device of the present invention

  Hereinafter, as an embodiment of the present invention, between various centers and various data input / output devices such as audio data, video data, and sensor data distributed over a wide range, a multi-hop type is provided via a plurality of wireless relay devices. An example of a wireless relay network that relays data will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a relay system according to an embodiment of a device of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes a wireless relay device according to the present invention (hereinafter also abbreviated as this device). A multi-hop wireless relay network is configured by 11 wireless relay devices 1 to 1-11. In addition, the number of this apparatus 1 which comprises a multihop type | system | group wireless relay network is arbitrary.

  Reference numeral 2 denotes various local connection devices locally connected to the apparatus 1, 2-9 a speaker locally connected to the apparatus 1-9, and 2-10 a monitor locally connected to the apparatus 1-10. A camera 2-11 is an example of a display device locally connected to the apparatus 1-11.

  Reference numeral 3 denotes a gateway connected to various data distribution sources or various data collection centers 5. As the various centers 5, an emergency information center 5-1, which distributes or collects emergency information, information related to events, advertisements, and the like is distributed. An information center 5-2 and a meter reading center 5-3 that collects data related to the usage amount of electricity, gas, water, etc. are illustrated. The gateway 3 installed between the apparatus 1 and the various centers 5 is a local connection device when viewed from the apparatus 1.

  Reference numeral 4 denotes a meter-reading device such as electricity, gas, water, etc. installed in each door, which is a local connection device when viewed from the device 1. The meter-reading devices 4-4 to 4-6 are locally connected to the devices 1-4 to 1-6, and the meter-reading data from each meter-reading device 4 is relayed to the meter-reading center 5-3 in a multi-hop manner. . Information such as notification from the meter reading center is relayed to each meter reading device 4 in a multi-hop manner.

  Each of the wireless relay apparatuses 1-1 to 1-11 is distributed in a predetermined management unit area (for example, a municipality) at an interval that is less than or equal to a wireless radio wave reach (for example, 100 m). It relays data between adjacent wireless relay devices.

  For example, data from the emergency information center 5-1 is sent to the center via the radio relay apparatuses 1-1, 1-2, 1-3,..., 1-9, 1-10, 1-11. It transmits in the direction of To End (downward). Of the data from the emergency information center 5-1, the emergency call voice (for example, tsunami occurrence) is played out loudly from the speaker 2-9 installed on the street via the wireless relay device 1-9. Similarly, emergency call information composed of video and characters is displayed on a large display device 2-11 installed on the street via the wireless relay device 1-11.

  Further, the video and audio from the monitor camera 2-10 pass through the wireless relay devices 1-10, 1-9, 1-8,..., 1-1, and the direction of End to Center (upward) To the emergency information center 5-1 via the wireless relay device 1-1.

  Here, for example, the monitor camera 2-10 may be constantly operating, or may be activated by remote control from the emergency information center 5-1 when an abnormality occurs.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the apparatus 1, in which 110 is another wireless relay device communication unit that wirelessly communicates with another adjacent wireless relay device, 111 is an antenna, 120 is its own wireless relay device, and another wireless relay device. Alternatively, a data relay control unit 121 that performs relay control of data with a locally connected device, 121 is a relay data temporary storage unit that temporarily stores relay data, and 130 extracts data type / destination information from received data A data type / destination information extraction unit.

  Reference numeral 140 denotes a relay destination / priority search unit that searches the relay destination and priority of data received with reference to the relay destination / priority registration unit 141. Reference numeral 141 denotes a relay destination / priority registration unit, and FIG. 3 shows an example of the relay destination / priority registered in the relay destination / priority registration unit 141.

  Reference numeral 150 denotes a local communication unit, 160 denotes a device control command extraction unit, 170 denotes a locally connected device control unit, and 171 denotes a local power feeding unit. Reference numerals 181, 182, and 183 denote local connection lines for connecting the local connection device and the apparatus 1. In FIG. 2, description will be made with three wires for convenience of explanation, but they may be superimposed on one or may be a short-range wireless communication method (for example, Bluetooth (registered trademark)).

  FIG. 4 is an operation flowchart of the apparatus 1. Hereinafter, the operation flow of the present apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  This flow starts when the power of the device 1 is turned on (S400), and the other wireless relay device communication unit 110 or the local connection device control unit 170 is locally connected to the adjacent other wireless relay device communication unit or the own wireless relay device. The reception of data from the locally connected device is monitored (S410).

  When data is received (S410, YES), the data relay control unit 120 stores the received data in the relay data temporary storage unit 121 (S420). Then, the data type / destination information extraction unit 130 extracts the data type / destination information from the received data (S421). This data type / destination information is stored in a predetermined part of packetized received data (not shown).

  The relay destination / priority search unit 140 then refers to the relay destination / priority registration unit 141 using the extracted data type / destination information as a search key, and corresponds to the data type / destination information of the received data. The relay destination / priority is searched (S422), and the searched relay destination / priority is notified to the data relay control unit 120.

  Here, the data type / destination information extracted from the received data is information corresponding to the columns 301 to 304 in FIG. 3, for example, the data type of the data received by the wireless relay device 1-5 in FIG. Is the meter reading data and the transmission source is the local connection device 4-5, and the transmission destination is the meter reading center, the wireless relay device 1-4 in the upper direction (End to Center) It is.

  The data relay control unit 120 determines whether or not the relay destination is a locally connected device (hereinafter abbreviated as “locally connected device”) locally connected to the own wireless relay device (S430), and the relay destination is the own locally connected device. If not (S430, NO), the data stored in the temporary storage unit 121 in S420 is relayed to the searched relay destination according to the priority (S450), and the process returns to S410.

  Here, the temporary storage unit 121 can store a plurality of received data to be relayed, and the data relay control unit 120 relays data with high priority. For example, when the meter reading data with the medium priority and the emergency call data with the high priority are stored in the temporary storage unit 121, the emergency call data with the high priority is relayed first. Note that the priority may refer to the column 305 in FIG. 3 or may follow priority information such as a priority flag from the received data itself (not shown).

  In S430, when the relay destination is the own local connection device (S430, YES), it is determined whether the local connection device is activated (S431). If it is activated (S431, YES), the process proceeds to S440. move on.

  If the own local connection device is not activated (S431, NO), the own local connection device is activated (S432), and the process proceeds to S440. Note that S432 includes a process for starting power supply to the locally connected device. For example, when the local connection device is a large display device 2-11 installed on the street, it is preferable to start it when necessary because it is a waste of power to always start it.

  Further, power may be supplied from the local power supply unit 171 of the present apparatus 1 to the local connection device via the local connection line 181. For example, if the power consumption is relatively small, such as the speaker 2-9, the monitor camera 2-10, or various sensor devices (not shown), there is no major problem in supplying power from the apparatus 1, It is convenient because power supply control is possible.

  In S440, when the data type of the received data is a device control command (S440, YES), the data relay control unit 120 transfers the received data to the device control command extracting unit 160, and the device control command extracting unit 160 receives the received data. The device control command for controlling the locally connected device is extracted from the device, and the extracted device control command is transferred to the locally connected device control unit 170. The local connection device controller 170 controls the local connection device according to the transferred device control command (S441), and returns to S410. Note that S441 includes processing related to stopping power supply to the local connection device.

  In S440, when the data type of the received data is not a device control command (S440, NO), the data relay control unit 120 relays the data stored in the temporary storage unit 121 in S420 to the local connection device according to the priority. (S450), and the process returns to S410.

  By the way, when local connection apparatus (for example, each meter-reading apparatus 4) voluntarily transmits data to various centers 5 (for example, meter-reading center 5-3) regularly or irregularly, the data received by S410 is received. The transmission source corresponds to its own local connection device, and relays to another wireless relay device adjacent on the upper side (End to Center direction) as shown in FIG.

  The embodiment of the present invention has been described above. In the present embodiment, the multi-hop relay network according to the present apparatus 1 has a branch-free topology for the sake of simplicity of explanation. However, the multi-hop relay network has a tree-structure topology including a plurality of branch wireless relay apparatuses. May be present (not shown).

  Moreover, although the case where the speaker 2-9, the monitor camera 2-10, and the display apparatus 2-11 were one each was illustrated, these installation numbers are arbitrary. Moreover, it goes without saying that various communication devices (for example, devices that transmit various sensor data such as a rain gauge, a seismometer, a fire sensor, etc.) can be connected as devices locally connected to the device 1 in addition to the illustrated devices. .

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Wireless relay apparatus 2 ... Various local connection apparatus 3 ... Gateway 4 connected with various centers ... Meter-reading apparatus 5 ... Various centers 181, 182, 183 ... Local connection line 110 ... Other wireless relay device communication unit 111... Antenna 120... Data relay control unit 121... Relay data temporary storage unit 130... Data type / destination information extraction unit 140. Unit 141 ... relay destination / priority registration unit 150 ... local communication unit 160 ... device control command extraction unit 170 ... local connection device control unit 171 ... local power feeding unit

Claims (1)

A wireless relay device that constitutes a wireless relay network that relays meter reading data related to the usage amount of electricity, gas, water, etc., and non-meter reading data other than the meter reading data between a plurality of wireless relay devices,
Data is exchanged by wire or wirelessly with a wireless relay means for relaying the meter-reading data and non-meter-reading data by wireless communication with other wireless relay devices, and with a local connection device relating to the non-metering data locally connected to the own wireless relay device. Local communication means; and destination information extraction means for extracting destination information related to the relay destination of the data based on the type of the received data when the wireless relay means or the local communication means receives the non-metering data; A relay destination registration unit for registering a relay destination in association with destination information extracted by the destination information extraction unit, and a destination information extracted by the destination information extraction unit with reference to the relay destination registration unit. a relay destination searching means for searching a relay destination are the non-meter reading data to which the radio relay unit or said local communication means receives And non-meter reading data relay means for serial relay destination searching unit is relayed to the relay destination search, the relay destination of the non-metering data to which the non-metering data relay means for relaying a in the wireless relay apparatus and the locally connected device that is locally connected And, when the data is a device control command related to the control of the local connection device, a local connection device control means for controlling the operation of the local connection device according to the device control command. A wireless relay device having a local connection device control function.

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